2week old Ducklings dying whats up!!! I am at a loss

[Fudgie]

Ok, I am so confused. We have baby ducklings that are like 2 weeks old. They are just dying. I am providing them water and feed and a heat lamp and they have pine bedding chips. I don't get it. They will be fine in the AM when I leave for work and I come home and one is gone. They don't look like the others have pecked them or anything like that.

I don't know what to do. One passed this AM. He was slower than the others when I let them play in the tub and eat their food in there (so they have good water to wash it down with) I dried them off and put them back in the brooder and this AM he was super slow and throwing his neck backwards and legs outstretched. I snuggled him up next to me (for extra warmth) and he died in my arms.

I am crying while typing this.

Are they nutritionally missing something? They are getting game bird feed and it is wet and not dry when they eat it. What can I give them to stop this pattern. This is duckie #4 that we have lost. OH yeah and their eyes, looks like they get a round white spot in their eyes a day before they die. What is that. It sort of looks like a third eyelid that dogs have to protect their eyes.

Anyone, any ideas???

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Oh JMajors, I'm so sorry for your babies. I don't have any answers, I just wanted to give you a hug.

 

[Fudgie]

Thanks, Buff! I need a good hug today, it is so hard to raise ducklings and goslings to HATCH much less raising them beyond that. I did so good at hatching 19 out of 24 set, and now am having so much trouble with leeping these little guys alive! It is frustrating!

 

[MissPrissy]

Why is their feed wet? Is it medicated? Have you given them chopped greens floated on water? Do they get any yogurt?

 

[BeardedChick]

So sorry about your ducklings.

I hope someone can help.

 

[Fudgie]

their feed is wet because I let them play in the tub and while they are in there at the flat end of the tub is where I put their feed so they can eat...of course it gets wet. And I have heard that it needs to be near water so they don't choke on their feed...

I have not tried greens. and No, I have not given them yogurt...what sort of greens and yogurt. Like lettuce pieces and such....

 

[MissPrissy]

They need dry unmedicated feed. They need clean water to rinse their nares. They do not need access to water to play in at will - they are too young. They need tiny shredded greens floated on water as a supervised treat. Also yogurt with pureed greens is a great probiotic for them.

They should be warm and dry. They should be given water to play in only when supervised at this age and then they should be taken from warm water and dried off and put in a warm dry brooder.

There are several threads with duckling proof waterers homemade on here. Search the archives.

I think your problems are stemming from too much access to water to play in, wet feed and possibly being chilled.

 

[xke4]

Miss Prissy, I was just going to respond but you took the words right out of my mouth. They must be getting chilled. This is the main reason ( apart from trauma) that we lose ducklings at the rehab centre. Even tho we see ducklings in the water at this age in the wild, their mother knows how much they can stand and when they are done, they preen and are tucked up under her at EXACTLY the right temperature to warm. We can only hope to match this with our heat lamps. Get a thermometer and put it at the level of the ducklings. It should be about 85 at this stage. Put an old stuffed animal in their brooder so they can snuggle. If they do get wet, dry them with a towel. They do not need their food suspended in water. If they are fussy and are not eating as well as you think they should be, get a piece of paper towel, spread it over the shavings, and sprinkle a bit of their starter on it. Curiousity alone sometimes helps them. They peck at it to find out what it is and discover it can be eaten. Cut up bits of Leaf Lettuce (not iceburg) into tiny bits and put on a margarine container lid. Cut up bits of mealworms and do the same. Good Luck.

 

[Fudgie]

They are NEVER in the water, which is warm, never cold, when I (or DD or DH) am not there, Someone is always on watch while they are in the tub. I know they can drown in like 2 seconds, DH letf them alone for like a min the other day and I about

him! He said "they are fine" and I said "NO they can drown quickly, stay in there or call me in if you are tired of watching them. OR take them out and dry them off and put them back in the brooder." They are only in the water for like maybe 10 minutes 15 max, while they eat and clean themselves. They are dry and warm when in the brooder area, which is most of the time.

I don't think they are chilled because they spend most of their time away from the direct heat/light and occasionally milling around underneath it but I have not seen them huddling directly below it.

The wet feed might be doing it. I will start tonight, feeding them in a dry container and giving them water to the side so they can get a drink and don't choke on the feed, but NOT while they are in the tub. They don't get to have tub time too much because it is colder out and I don't want them chilling easily.

They sort of act like they are lacking in something, like vitamins or something. I don't know if you can give them vitamins like you can little chicks, and maybe it is they need the greens and yogurt. I am assuming active cultures on the yogurt correct Miss Prissy?

 

[MissPrissy]

Also add some brewers yeast to their feed. Duck need more niacin than other fowl.